A New Path
by What If Incorporated
Summary: This story takes place after the first Balto movie and continues into the second movie, but adds some twists. Steele was left alone that night Balto came home, but what happened to his life after that? Eventual Steele x Aleu. Rated T for mild violence and a suggestive situation.
1. Distance

It was the day after Steele had returned to town and the neighborhood dogs were once again gathered in the barn to hear another recollection of Steele's story. Steele had only gotten part way through before a distinct sound was heard from the edge of town.

It was a howl. Not just any howl though. It belonged to Balto. He had returned. The story of lies that Steele had told the others was revealed. All of the dogs turned and faced Steele with a disgusted glare then left. Steele tried to call them back, but none of them acknowledged him. The door of the barn shut behind them and he was left completely alone. Steele lowered his ears and growled lowly in frustration as the sounds of happy celebration for the town's new hero erupted from the center of town. Steele grunted then lay down and chewed on a nearby bone.

"That should be me. Not that half breed," Steele mumbled angrily as he continued to gnaw at the bone. Since he was young, he'd always been a favorite among both human and canines alike within the town. The bitter feeling of loneliness was new to him and he absolutely hated it. Eventually, he grew bored of the bone and pushed it aside and stood up then began to head towards the door of the barn. He pressed it with a paw and peeked outside. The town had begun to grow quiet and things had settled down considerably. He thought about going home, but he still felt overwhelmed by anger and frustration, so he decided he'd just stay in the barn tonight. He didn't feel like going home. In fact, he didn't feel like doing anything but sleeping. He walked back to where he had previously been and settled back down for the night.

* * *

The next morning, Steele was woken up by the calls of his owner. He flicked his ears and looked around, not entirely sure where he was for a moment as his eyes adjusted to the dim lighting. Then it came to him. He had spent the night in the barn. He stood up and pushed on the door with a paw. It creaked open and his owner turned his direction then smiled softly.

"Hey there, Steele. That's where you've been," he said as he reached down and pet Steele on the head in between the canine's ears. Steele wagged his tail lightly from side to side, but hardly felt enthusiastic considering the proceedings of last night. The gesture itself was more for his owner than genuinely reflecting his underlying emotions.

Steele and his owner walked alongside each other quietly on the way back to the house. Once inside, Steele quietly flopped down on his dog bed with a sigh. Not even the comfort of home made him feel that much better. His owner brought him some dog food and sat down in a chair nearby. The man glanced outside and smiled lightly.

"Some dog Balto turned out to be. Who would have known he'd become a hero?" His smile faded as he turned and went back over to Steele. He sighed then pet the canine's head softly. "I wish it'd been you, big guy. I always thought you had so much potential when I first got you as a puppy…" He looked away, his eyes distant and mind filled with memories. Steele whined softly, sensing that his owner was unhappy, and licked the man's hand in an attempt to comfort him. The man looked down sadly.

"So much hard work… so much time and money spent on you…" the man reflected before he sighed again and looked out the window. "I don't think I can afford to keep you for too much longer Steele…" he said sadly. Steele tilted his head, not understanding the words. He knew his owner was sad. What reason was behind it though?

His owner quietly got up and went into his bedroom then closed the door behind him. Steele whimpered lightly and rested his head on his paws. First the other dogs had deserted him and now his owner was sad and distant. Everything was going so wrong. Steele got up from his bed and sat down beside the door of his owner's bedroom door and listened for a moment. Nothing but silence came from the bedroom. It was too early for the man to have gone to sleep, but it seemed he didn't want to be bothered. Steele whined softly then walked over to the nearby window and reared up on his hind legs to glance outside. He spotted Nikki, Kaltag and Star walking by. His tail wagged excitedly and he barked to get their attention. The trio glanced up and eyed Steele for a moment, but then continued to walk away. Steele lowered his ears and sighed. Even his closest friends didn't want anything to do with him. The pain of loneliness began sinking into him and he went back toward his bed. He glanced at his food bowl and took a few unenthusiastic bites of the dry kibble before he lay back down in his bed again. Even though it wasn't that late in the day, he felt like there was once again nothing to do aside from sleep. Sleep and hope that tomorrow might be better.

* * *

The next morning, Steele was woken up by shuffling sounds. He yawned softly and looked around. Outside the sun was just barely beginning to come up. Oddly, his owner was already awake and had put a small stack of papers on the table. Steele twitched his ears and watched quietly. His owner sat down at the table and got out a pen then began to read the instructions on the top of the form.

"When putting in an ad to sell a canine, all fields must be filled in neatly and completely. Be sure to include the name, breed, appearance, age, gender and any other paperwork that may be relevant to the canine. If the canine has received any awards, be sure to include descriptions of those as well as they may help increase the selling price. Evaluation of the selling price will be based on the information provided and you will be contacted within a few days." His owner sighed lightly as he finished reading then after a quick glance at Steele, began to write on the form. Steele walked over and gently nudged his owner's free hand with his nose. His owner looked down and gently pushed him away, the same sad look as the night before still painted on his face.

"Not now, Steele..." he said in almost a whisper. Steele whimpered and walked back to his bed then sat down. After a few minutes, his owner finished and walked outside with the papers in an envelope. When he came back inside the envelope was gone. Steele could only wonder what the papers meant and what would happen now that they were gone.

* * *

A few days passed by and things went by in a quiet, routine manner. He and his owner woke up, ate breakfast together, his owner went out to get the mail, they had lunch, his owner read while he went out for a short walk and then later they ate dinner before quietly going to bed.

One day, this routine was broken when his owner walked back inside with the mail. He sat down at the table and opened one of the letters then read it aloud.

"Hello sir. I would like to thank you for putting in your ad for your dog Steele. I have received an offer for him and the man who sent me the offer would like to come and see Steele in person before making a decision. He will be by tomorrow at noon to see Steele. If all goes well and he likes your dog, he is willing to pay for him and take him that day. Please make sure your dog is in excellent condition and that anything that belongs to your dog is ready to be taken if he wants him that day." His owner set down the letter and stared at the ceiling for a while before he looked back at Steele.

"I guess I should get you ready, Steele," he said quietly before he got up. Steele followed him and watched as his owner picked up all his belongings and put them next to his bed. He then picked up a brush and gently began to brush Steele's fur out. What was going on? Why did his owner put all of his stuff together? Was he going somewhere? Question after question sprang up in Steele's mind and he wished more than anything that he could ask them out loud.

After Steele had finished dinner, his owner sat down next to him and pat him softly. Steele gently licked his hand and laid his head down on the man's lap. His owner smiled lightly then sighed.

"I'm going to miss you if you go tomorrow…" his owner said. Steele could hear sadness in his owner's voice and nuzzled his head against the man's hand. Suddenly, his owner did something he hadn't done since Steele was a puppy. He kneeled down and wrapped his arms around Steele's neck and hugged him tightly. Steele realized that something wasn't right. Why was this happening? After that, his owner got up and walked to his bedroom. He stopped in the doorway and turned back to look at Steele.

"Come on boy, you can sleep on the bed with me tonight," he said as he beckoned Steele over. Steele tilted his head and followed his owner into the bedroom, pausing for a moment by the doorway before he leapt up and lay down at the foot of the bed. His owner smiled softly and scratched behind Steele's ear. Steele offered a few short wags of his tail for the man before he rested his head on his paws.

"Good dog, Steele. Good dog…" the man whispered before he went to sleep. Steele fell asleep soon after.


	2. Escape

Steele was woken up early by the sounds and smells of his owner cooking in the kitchen. Considering the fact that his owner rarely cooked, curiosity compelled Steele to look into this. He leapt down from the bed and walked into the kitchen. He flicked up his ears in surprise when he saw his owner put chopped sausages into his food bowl rather than dry dog food. His owner looked up at him with a sad forced smile.

"I made you a special breakfast, Steele. Enjoy," he said before he stepped outside. Steele remained in place for a moment and watched him go before he went over to the food bowl. Although the food was delicious, he was still aware that something wasn't right. After he had finished, he went into his bed and lay down to rest. Not long after, he heard talking outside. He stood up and flicked his ears curiously and walked to the door. He identified the voice of his owner, but also that of another man. Someone he didn't know.

"Thank you for such a generous offer on Steele. He's a good dog. I'm sure you will like him," his owner said. The other man was quick to respond.

"I look forward to meeting him," the other man said enthusiastically. Steele stepped back as the door opened and the two men entered. The visitor's gaze quickly focused on the canine.

"He is a handsome fellow, isn't he? Quite strong by the looks of him. He would make a perfect addition to my team in the next town," the man remarked cheerfully as he studied Steele. His owner nodded lightly in agreement. The two men then walked to the table and spoke with each other for a moment. When their conversation seemed to be over, his owner got Steele's leash and handed to the other man. The man smiled and handed his owner a stack of green paper. Steele's eyes widened in recognition. Money. He now knew what was happening. This other man was buying him and was going to take him away from his owner and home. Fear, an emotion rarely felt by Steele, gripped him and he frantically looked around for some escape. Steele whimpered and went under his owner's chair. His owner sighed then leaned down and clipped the leash on his collar before he handed it back to the man. He then leaned down so he was face level with Steele and gently stroked one of his ears.

"Goodbye Steele. Be good," his owner said softly before he stood back up. The other man looked at Steele with a warm smile and gently tugged at the leash. Steele reluctantly followed the man outside of the door of the house. What had he done wrong? Why did he have to leave? The man stopped at the truck then opened the back before he leaned down and placed his hand gently on Steele's back.

"Alright Steele. Time to go to your new home," the man said happily. Steele sat down defiantly and glared off in another direction. The man chuckled softly then picked Steele up and placed him in the bed of the truck.

"No need to be upset big guy. You will like your new home. I promise," the man encouraged as he tied the leash to a notch in the truck to prevent Steele from getting out. He then closed up the back then got into the truck and began to drive. Steele sighed and looked at his previous home as it faded out of view. He knew that he would probably never see it or his old owner again. He pulled his head back and tugged at the leash, but it didn't have any effect. Feeling defeated, he grunted lightly and opted to sleep. His rest didn't last long before the truck was stopped. He shifted into a sitting position and glanced around. The truck was parked and the man was filling it with gas. Steele flicked his ears as a plan crossed his mind. Maybe this was his opportunity to escape. He spotted the start of a forest a short distance away. It might be the same one he and his team had journeyed in before. Then again, even if it wasn't, he was willing to take his chances. He growled lowly as he braced himself to leap toward freedom. Once he had backed up as far as he could, he ran and leapt over the side of the truck. Unfortunately, the leash didn't come loose and he remained suspended in the air next to the truck, back paws barely touching the ground. He whimpered loudly and struggled to get loose. The man turned and saw Steele then gasped and hurried over.

"Steele! What on earth are you doing? You could have killed yourself!" the man exclaimed with worry. He reached out to help Steele, but Steele growled loudly and struggled more.

"Steele, easy there, you're alright," the man said gently. He tentatively tried to reach again, but Steele began to thrash more, trying his hardest to get loose. Finally, he pulled as hard as he could and fell on his back. His collar was left hanging on the leash that remained attached to the truck. He was free. He quickly stood up and shook off his fur then turned and ran rapidly into the forest, ignoring the man's calls.


	3. Company

After he ran for what felt like an eternity, Steele finally stopped running and flopped down on the ground. A light dust of snow spiraled from underneath him. He was almost instantly asleep, too exhausted to continue. When he woke up, darkness had fallen and snow was falling gently. Steele grunted and shook off his fur then looked around.

"Where am I?" Steele asked even though there wouldn't be an answer. He sighed and sat down under a tree for some partial cover from the light snowfall. None of his current surroundings looked like the other forest and due to the fresh snow, he couldn't pick up any strong scents around him aside from the pine trees. His stomach growled in protest and he realized how long it had been since his last meal. He stood up and began to walk through the snow, hoping to find something to eat.

After he walked around aimlessly for a while, he finally caught sight of something moving in the snow. He took a few tentative sniffs, but couldn't identify the scent. It did however succeed in making his mouth water. Whatever it was, it smelled like food. He began to trot forward, but paused when the creature lifted its head and looked directly at him. It was a snowshoe hare. Steele grinned and licked his lips then raced forward. The hare squeaked in panic and tried to run away, but was unable to do so thanks to its foot being stuck in a trap. Steele quickly killed the hare with a precise bite to the back of its neck. He smiled proudly but then he stopped the trap.

"It may have been trapped, but at least I can eat now," Steele grumbled. He sat down then leaned down to take a bite, but froze when he heard a twig snap nearby. The ruff of fur between his shoulder blades bristled and he looked up, icy blue eyes scanning the area.

"Who's there?" Steele questioned with a growl. When he didn't receive an answer, he grunted then leaned down and took a bite of the hare. As he chewed, he heard paw steps approaching. He growled loudly then lifted his head once again. Right in front of him was a pure white arctic fox. The fox grinned lightly and studied him with its green eyes.

"Nice meal you have there, wolf. Such a shame it is so small though," the fox stated. Steele bared his teeth. By the sound of the fox's voice, he realized it was a vixen. Nonetheless, he wasn't about to get his meal taken.

"I'm not a wolf, vixen. And yes, it is a small meal, but unless you plan on becoming the second course, you best be on your way now," Steele warned. The vixen laughed and seemed rather amused.

"Not a wolf, you say? You're larger than some of the wolves I have seen in my lifetime. I bet you could even win in a fight with the alpha male of the small pack up the mountain," the vixen said as she studied him. Steele grunted and kept his gaze on the vixen. He was interested in what he heard, but he still didn't feel he could trust the vixen. If what she said was true though, he might be able to find a place for himself out here since he no longer felt inclined to return to the human world.

"Just how many wolves are in this pack you speak of?" Steele asked curiously. The vixen laughed softly and sat down.

"What importance is that to you, dog?" the vixen asked teasingly, putting obvious emphasis on the last word. She stood up and flicked her tail then began to walk away. Steele bared his teeth and tore off one of the hare's legs then dropped it in front of him.

"You would be rewarded if you helped me," Steele said with a grin. As soon as he had said it, the vixen stopped in her tracks. She flicked her ears then turned and walked back to him. Her eyes drifted hungrily to the leg then back at him.

"The pack has only four members: the alpha male, two other young males and one female. They live up that mountain." The vixen pointed with her muzzle to the mountain in the distance. Steele nodded as he took in the information. He pushed the leg a little closer to the vixen, but kept it within his reach so she couldn't take it just yet.

"Can you take me there?" Steele asked tentatively. The vixen's eyes gleamed and she flicked her ears with obvious interest.

"You want me to take you there?" the vixen asked curiously. "If that is what you want, then I can do so," the vixen replied with a soft laugh before she looked down expectantly at the food. Steele grunted the pushed the leg right to the vixen's paws. She quickly began to eat and Steele also went back to his meal. When he had finished, he looked back up at the vixen.

"If we are going to be travelling together, I should at least know what to call you so I don't have to keep calling you vixen," Steele grumbled as the vixen finished off the leg. The vixen licked her lips then wrapped her tail around her paws.

"Likewise goes for me then. I have a right to know your name as well," the vixen replied. Steele nodded lightly in agreement.

"Fair enough. My name is Steele. Yours would be?" Steele looked at the vixen expectantly. She smiled then dipped her head.

"My name is Fayac. It's a pleasure to meet you, Steele. Thank you for the meal by the way," Fayac said softly. Steele nodded then stretched his limbs.

"Alright, let's get going," Steele said with a glance toward the mountain. Fayac's eyes gleamed and she grinned with amusement.

"You wish to go so soon?" Fayac asked curiously. Steele grunted in annoyance and began to walk in the direction of the mountain.

"If you are afraid, then don't come. I don't need help," Steele said with a low growl. Fayac raised a brow and trotted up to Steele's side.

"It's not that I'm afraid. I just assumed you would be. I can still smell human on you, so I already came to the conclusion that you haven't been away from home very long," Fayac stated. Steele stopped in his tracks and looked directly at Fayac. A fierce glare was across his face.

"So, this whole time you knew I wasn't a wolf?" Steele barked with bared teeth. Fayac grinned with a faint laugh and sat down. She flicked her tail before she folded it over her paws.

"Of course I did, Steele. I'm not that oblivious. I know what wolves smell like. You however, do not smell like that," Fayac stated bluntly, a little grin still tugging at the sides of her maw. Steele grunted loudly in frustration.

"So that means that those wolves will know too," Steele said with a heaving sigh as he glanced up at the mountain. Fayac tilted her head. She could see some emotion behind Steele's eyes, but could not quite place it.

"I can help you. But first, I want to know why a dog would want to go live with wolves. Why not find your human?" Fayac asked softly with a slight tilt of her head. Steele's fur bristled and he turned his attention back to Fayac with another glare.

"My human sold me! That's why! I don't want to live with humans anymore!" Steele shouted angrily. Fayac whimpered and took a few paces back as if Steele's harsh tone had physically hurt her.

"I apologize. I did not know that this was your only option," Fayac whispered softly as she lowered her gaze to the ground. Steele sighed softly and began to walk again.

"Forget it. It's my problem, not yours," Steele said lowly, attempting to not shout again. Fayac looked up then ran ahead of Steele and blocked his path.

"I've decided to help you," Fayac said determinedly. Steele raised a brow incredulously at the vixen's sudden change in attitude.

"How do you intend to help me, exactly?" Steele asked with a tilt of his head. Fayac grinned and began to walk in a different direction.

"Follow me. We are going to a lake. First things first: We need to get the smell of human off you and make you seem more like a wolf instead of a runaway dog," Fayac said, increasing her pace without looking back to make sure Steele was following. Steele quickly pursued the vixen. Soon, the pair arrived at a small lake and Fayac slowed down before she stopped at the shore.

"Here we are. Now, jump in that lake and make sure your whole body goes underneath the surface," Fayac instructed with a gesture of her paw towards the water. Steele walked over to the water and tentatively placed a paw in. The temperature was cold enough to send chills along his spine. With an annoyed grunt, he stepped back and glanced at Fayac.

"It's freezing. That water will probably kill me," Steele said with a scowl. Fayac rolled her eyes and sighed softly.

"Honestly Steele, you sound like a pampered dog. If you are going to face wolves, you had better get in that water," Fayac said more assertively. Steele sighed lightly then backed up a few steps before he leapt into the water. After a short moment underwater, he swam back out and shook off his entire body. Fayac yelped as cold droplets of water landed on her and then shook off her body as well. Steele glanced over at her with a smirk then chuckled.

"Didn't I mention something about the water being cold?" Steele asked teasingly. Fayac once again rolled her eyes and smiled softly.

"Yeah yeah, you were right. Anyway, now that the human scent is gone, you need to smell more like the wilderness. Follow me," Fayac instructed before she took off once again. Steele nodded once and quickly followed. Soon, the two of them reached a clearing. Fallen branches and pine needles from the trees above covered the forest floor along with a light layer of snowfall.

"Alright, go roll around in the pine branches and snow. It will help you smell like you belong here," Fayac stated with a pointing gesture with her nose. Steele walked over to the branches and rolled around for a moment, trying to get the scent firmly mixed with his own. He shortly got up and returned to Fayac's side and sat down then raised his head proudly for the vixen's approval.

"Go ahead and take a sniff," Steele said with a confident smirk. Fayac laughed softly then leaned forward and took a whiff of Steele's fur. Not only had the smell of human been erased, but Steele also smelled as if he was another member of the forest population. She nodded her approval.

"Well done," Fayac said with a smile. Steele grinned and began to walk towards the direction of the mountain.

"I should be off them," Steele said with a new sense of determination in his voice. Fayac yipped in surprise then leapt in front of him and blocked his path.

"You want to go there today? Do you even know how to fight? Or hunt properly for that matter?" Fayac questioned worriedly. Steele raised a brow and scoffed.

"Yes, I want to go there today and I know I can fight," Steele answered bluntly. Fayac narrowed her eyes in slight irritation. She hadn't planned on Steele being so headstrong.

"Steele, even if you do beat the alpha, that won't be all you need to do. As an alpha, you would be a vital member with many roles: A leader, decision-maker, hunter, provider and protector. If you can't even hunt, they may not accept you, no matter how strong you are," Fayac explained with a more firm tone to get her point across. Steele flicked his ears back slightly and sighed then sat down, his gaze cast downward in disappointment. Fayac had a point and there was no denying it. Fayac whimpered softly and felt a little guilty for deflating Steele's ambition. She gently pressed Steele's side with her muzzle. When he directed his attention to her, she offered a soft smile.

"Don't worry. I can teach you the basic techniques on smaller animals and then you can apply the same tactics to larger animals," Fayac said cheerfully. Steele titled his head with interest and smiled. Though he was independent by nature, he couldn't help but appreciate Fayac's offer. Everyone from his old life was miles away and Fayac was the only company he had out here.

"That would be perfect. Thank you Fayac," Steele replied with a warmer smile. Fayac nodded once and pushed him playfully with a paw.

"It may take a few days, but I will do all I can to make you a great hunter," Fayac said with a smirk. Steele grinned widely and his eyes seemed to gleam with determination.

"Let's get started," Steele said with a firm nod.


	4. Wolves

Four days time had passed since Steele began learning to hunt from Fayac. Steele had shown promising progress since day one and with Fayac's guidance had greatly improved his hunting skill. It was early morning and the sun was just barely beginning to rise above the horizon. Fayac was the first to rise. She scented the air then turned and gently poked Steele's side with her nose.

"Steele, wake up. Today's the day," Fayac whispered. Steele yawned then opened his eyes and lifted his head, blinking away sleep. He curiously looked to Fayac and flicked one ear questioningly.

"The day for what exactly?" Steele asked sleepily. Fayac groaned lightly and rolled her eyes. Steele could be a little dense sometimes. She'd learned that shortly after meeting him.

"Today you are going to hunt alone and catch a large animal," Fayac explained, a little grin creeping along her maw. Steele nodded once then stood up and stretched. He then brought his attention back to Fayac, a slightly questioning look on his features.

"Do you believe I am ready for this?" Steele asked softly. Fayac smiled brightly and even giggled lightly at Steele's sudden uncertainty. She knew the canine's skill and potential. He shouldn't have any reason to be worried.

"Yes, I'm certain you are. Now tell me, what do you smell?" Fayac inquired with a slight tilt of her head. Steele lifted his nose into the air and scented the wind. By now, he had learned the various smells of the forest and within that mix he clearly pinpointed caribou. He grinned lightly, his confidence spurring up, and turned to Fayac.

"There is a herd of caribou just north of here," Steele stated confidently. Fayac beamed with pride and couldn't help but be impressed by her pupil's accuracy.

"Well done. That means starting now, your hunt has begun. I will follow quietly behind but I will not help," Fayac explained. Steele flicked his tail in acknowledgment of what she had said before he began to head north. Many recognizable scents filled his nostrils, but he remained focused on the one that belonged to the caribou. After a while, he spotted the herd in a clearing up ahead. He paused for a moment then closed his eyes and felt the wind against his fur. The wind was blowing towards him. He smiled with appreciation. He was downwind from his target, a perfect position. He opened his eyes then scanned each member of the herd. Near the middle was a young doe with a slight limp. He licked his lips and flexed his shoulders.

Just when he was about to run, he heard a loud howl and froze. Four wolves were running down the hill opposite of him toward the herd. The caribou scattered, most of them running right toward him. He growled with frustration then ran into the herd, searching for the doe he had spotted earlier. The element of surprise may have been taken from him, but he wasn't giving up that easily. Nothing was going to stop him from catching his prey, not even the wolves. He soon spotted the doe, now currently being pursued by a lean gray wolf with a smaller build than his. He growled loudly and ran even faster toward the doe. The wolf spotted him and growled, also increasing its speed. Steele had the advantage since the doe was running toward him, more focused on the wolf pursuing her, and he leapt up then sank his fangs into the doe's throat. The doe lost her footing and collapsed, but Steele held his grip. The rest of the herd had soon cleared the area, leaving him with the doe. He finally let go once the doe was completely still and when he looked up, he was surrounded. The entire wolf pack was here.

The largest of the pack, a strong looking gray and white wolf with a scar across his muzzle, stepped forward and growled lowly then studied Steele with his yellow eyes. Steele took the moment to observe the wolf. He was slightly larger than he was at the shoulder and more muscular too. The male held his tail and head high with pride. It was clear that his male was a high ranking wolf and likely the alpha too.

"Seems you are outnumbered, stranger," the male said with a grunt. Steele stood his ground and defiantly met the male's gaze without hesitation. If he wanted to make a first impression, now was the time to do it.

"That I am, but you are not in your territory," Steele pointed out boldly. The male held Steele's gaze for a moment and raised a brow with slight interest at the stranger.

"Hmm. You are quite bold," the male stated more calmly. His gaze drifted over to the caribou and then back to Steele. "And strong by the looks of it too. Do you have a pack?" the male inquired with a tilt of his head. Steele's eyes gleamed and he grinned slightly. So far, so good. He hadn't been engaged in a fight and it seemed that there was interest in him.

"I actually don't. I have been alone for a while now," Steele replied casually with a flick of his tail. Though he had valued Fayac's help to get him to this point, mentioning her was not appropriate and it was the safest option to keep it to himself. The male nodded once and appeared thoughtful of the response.

"I see. You are clearly a strong and confident wolf to have survived alone. I'd like to offer you a place in my pack. In fact, I would even like it if you would be second in command," the male said with a grin spreading across his maw. Steele beamed and nodded firmly. Hearing the wolf acknowledge him as a wolf and compliment him was definitely an honor. The male then looked to the other wolves and they broke their circle they had formed around Steele.

"Allow me to introduce myself… My name is Altair. I am the alpha male of this pack," Altair said with a very slight dip of his head. Steele spotted the gesture and returned it quickly out of respect. The male on Altair's right, a dark gray wolf with green eyes, stepped forward slightly and dipped his head lower than Altair had done previously.

"My name is Beku. I am a hunter in this pack," Beku said in a rough tone. Steele mirrored his gesture and flicked his ears slightly at the Beku's tone. Though it sounded harsh, it seemed like that was the wolf's natural tone. The male to the left of Altair, a young looking light gray wolf with teal eyes, then stepped forward and dipped his head as Beku had done. Steele quickly noticed that this was the very same wolf he had outrun in the hunt earlier, but the male didn't behave any differently towards him than the others.

"My name is Castoph. I'm also a hunter," Castoph said quietly. Steele quickly dipped his head and then observed Castoph's posture and lowered tail and gathered that the wolf had a submissive personality. Finally, the female, a lithe white wolf with light blue eyes, stepped forward and flicked her ears slightly before she spoke.

"My name is Tuulikki. I am a scout," Tuulikki said gently. Steele couldn't help but be distracted for moment by Tuulikki. Her features were striking and her voice was lovely. He stared at her for a moment before he quickly nodded and dipped his head a final time.

"My name is Steele. Nice to meet all of you," Steele said with a sweeping glance over all of the pack. Altair beamed with approval and nodded firmly.

"Now that all the introductions are done, we should eat. Steele, you may start eating first since you brought down this caribou," Altair stated. Steele flicked his ears in acknowledgement then began to eat. Soon the rest of the pack found a place and also began to eat. From a short distance away, Fayac watched and smiled proudly before she retreated to the shadows of the forest.

* * *

Once the pack had finished their meal, Altair shook his fur off then lifted his head and began to howl. Beku, Castoph and Tuulikki soon joined in. Steele glanced around with momentary confusion, but decided to mimic the others' behavior and howl as well. After a while, Altair broke off the howl and the others quieted.

"Let's head home," Altair said with a glance at Beku and Castoph. The two nodded and began to walk away. Altair paused then glanced back at Steele and Tuulikki. "Tuulikki, I want you to show Steele around and take him along the borders once we get home," Altair said before he raced ahead to catch up with the others. Tuulikki nodded and followed then fell into place next to Steele. Steele observed her as subtly as he could while he kept pace and grinned lightly. Tuulikki flicked her ears and grunted softly.

"You know, I can see you staring," Tuulikki pointed out teasingly. Steele grunted in surprise then immediately shifted his gaze forward.

"Uh… Sorry," Steele mumbled lowly. Tuulikki rolled her eyes and giggled softly then nipped gently at the fur along Steele's neck. Steele flicked his ears questioningly and glanced at Tuulikki.

"I didn't say I didn't like it," Tuulikki said playfully, a grin painted across her face. Steele let his eyes meet hers directly and he grinned widely.

"That's good news," Steele said with a wag of his tail. Tuulikki smiled brightly as the two continued to walk.

* * *

Steele and Tuulikki stopped at a river at the end of a clearing. The two had walked through every part of the territory and along the borders as well. Tuulikki kept a quick pace, but Steele quickly memorized the territory. Even with their quick pace it was near sunset when the pair had finished their route.

"Well, that's the whole territory. We should go back and get you a place to sleep now," Tuulikki said with a smile. Steele nodded and the two walked back to the larger clearing towards the top of the mountain. Altair smiled at the two as they arrived.

"I take it Steele knows the territory now?" Altair asked expectantly. Tuulikki nodded once and nuzzled under Altair's chin affectionately. Altair happily wagged his tail in response. Steele observed quietly and wondered about the relationship the pair might have.

"Yes. I'll get him a place to sleep for the night," Tuulikki said with a quick glance at Steele. Altair nodded approvingly then walked into a small den at the other side of the clearing. Tuulikki headed in the other direction and flicked her tail to signal Steele to follow. Once they were out of earshot, Steele looked over at Tuulikki.

"Do you have feelings for the alpha?" Steele asked curiously. Tuulikki giggled and nudged him with her nose.

"Not in the way you may be thinking. Altair is my brother," Tuulikki replied. Steele nodded once, her response making him feel relieved and hopeful.

"Oh, I see. Would you mind telling me about the others?" Steele asked. Tuulikki nodded.

"Beku and Castoph joined my brother and I last year. Both of them were looking for a pack and had been travelling together before they found us. They are not related though. Beku is rather bold and had his eyes on the second in command position for awhile, so he may not like you much since you're new and got the position instead of him. Castoph on the other hand is rather quiet and usually keeps to himself. He enjoys my company, but my brother Altair is protective of me around males. I'm surprised he hasn't acted that way around you. He must like something about you," Tuulikki explained. Steele grinned widely.

"I'm glad to hear I made a good impression on him at least," Steele commented with a chuckle. Tuulikki flicked her ears and titled her head curiously.

"What do you mean by that?" Tuulikki inquired.

"Well, I took the position Beku wanted, I outran Castoph in the hunt and I don't know how you feel about me yet," Steele replied before he glanced off in a different direction. Tuulikki giggled softly and licked the side of Steele's nose.

"I like you so far," Tuulikki said reassuringly. Steele's tail wagged happily.

"Really?" Steele asked with a raised brow. Tuulikki smirked.

"Of course. Now then… you can sleep here," Tuulikki said as she stopped at a small depression in the ground. Steele nodded once and grinned.

"Where are you sleeping, beautiful?" Steele asked with a smirk. Tuulikki rolled her eyes with a grin.

"Right here if you must know…" She walked a few steps away to another depression in the ground. "Now hush and get some sleep. The pack usually goes on a border patrol in the morning. Goodnight," Tuulikki said before she rested her head down on top of her paws and closed her eyes. Steele smiled and settled in then closed his eyes. Across the clearing, Beku's green eyes gleamed.

"I don't like it. Why should a newcomer be second in command? I have been here for a year and Altair hasn't even taken much notice of my skills," Beku grumbled. Castoph grunted lightly from his sleeping spot beside him.

"I don't like the fact that the newcomer can be so close to Tuulikki without Altair caring. I can't even be alone with her for long without him getting upset. It's not fair…" Castoph said with a sigh. Beku snorted then rested his head on his paws then closed his eyes.

"There's nothing we can do about it since he's part of the pack now. Maybe Altair's just being nice since he's new. Either way, we should get some sleep," Beku said. Castoph nodded with one more glance at Tuulikki before he closed his eyes.


	5. Loss

Steele was only asleep for a while before he felt something poke his cheek. He opened his eyes and was instantly met with the sight of Fayac. He smiled warmly.

"Hello there," Steele whispered. Fayac wagged her tail from side to side and offered a small smile for Steele.

"You did well today, my friend," Fayac whispered. Steele started to grin, but then lowered his ears lightly when he saw Fayac sigh softly. He tilted his head to one side questioningly.

"What's wrong, Fayac?" Steele asked softly. Fayac let her green eyes meet Steele's blue ones. Her eyes revealed a hint of sadness that contradicted the soft smile she offered.

"This is goodbye," Fayac said sadly. Steele grunted lightly in disbelief.

"Why?" Steele asked softly. He hadn't known Fayac long, but she helped him and became his companion when he was alone and needed someone the most. Fayac smiled once again.

"That's the way things are. You have a pack now. Plus, wolves and foxes aren't meant to be friends," Fayac said quietly. Steele leaned forward and touched Fayac's fur gently with his nose.

"But you are my friend, Fayac," Steele said with a soft whine. Fayac chuckled lightly and pressed her nose under Steele's chin.

"Don't be such a pup, Steele. I simply can't stay around here. It's not safe," Fayac said. Steele opened his mouth to reply, but it was interrupted by the snap of a twig. Fayac gasped and quickly dashed off. Steele instantly stood up and looked for her, but couldn't see which direction she had gone. He sighed softly and lay back down then closed his eyes. Moments later, he heard a yelp piece the air. He quickly sat up and the other members of the pack also rose from their sleep and looked around. Altair dashed into the middle of the clearing, fur bristled slightly.

"Is everyone alright?" Altair asked quickly as he shifted his gaze to each of the pack members. He relaxed as he looked around and saw his pack members present and unharmed, but his eyes widened when he noticed there was one missing.

"Beku's missing! Everyone, start looking for him," Altair ordered. The others were just as surprised at Beku's absence and readied themselves to search. Before anyone could even leave the clearing, Beku returned with a limp bloody body in his jaws. Everyone stared in silence as he walked up to Altair and plopped the body down.

"Fox. I scented it earlier and knew it was in our territory. I realized it was rather close to the clearing and went after it to chase it out of the territory. It tried to put up a fight, so I had no choice but to kill it when it didn't back down," Beku reported. Altair nodded lightly and sniffed at the dead fox. He grunted then returned his gaze to Beku.

"Next time you leave the clearing make sure someone knows about it first. Now then… Steele, would you take this out of our territory and bury it please?" Altair asked. Steele was quiet for a moment, but regained his composure and nodded then walked over. He gently picked up the fox by the scruff of its neck and ran to the nearest border. Once he was out of sight and earshot, he placed the fox down and took in its scent. Instantly, his fear was confirmed. The fox Beku had killed was Fayac. Steele whined sadly then nudged the body with his nose and silently wished that his friend wasn't really gone.

"Fayac, I'm so sorry," Steele whispered. He sat quietly by the body for a few moments before he remembered that he had to take care of the body and get back to the territory. He sighed gently then picked up Fayac's body once again before he began to look for a place to bury her. He soon came to a short pine tree and placed her down then began to dig a hole beside the tree. Once he was done, he laid her down in the hole.

"Goodbye, my friend," Steele said softly before he covered the hole. After he was done, he glanced around a found a small boulder. He rolled it over the top Fayac's grave as a marker then headed back into the territory.

* * *

Steele returned into the clearing as the others were beginning to settle back down for the night. Beku was the first to spot him and walked over with a grin.

"How was taking your little friend to her grave?" Beku asked in a harassing tone. Steele bared his teeth and was tempted to lash out at him, but he knew that would only prove Beku right and get him nowhere.

"I don't make friends with little foxes," Steele grumbled. He hated saying it, but it was his only option at this point. Beku scoffed and brought his muzzle right beside Steele's. His breath still smelled of Fayac's blood and it was all Steele could take to not back away from him.

"Oh really? How strange considering how close I saw it standing to you earlier. If it wasn't your friend then it must have been a very stupid fox to wander so close to wolves," Beku stated. Steele grunted and was about to speak against him, but Tuulikki walked over and gently prodded the two of them with her nose.

"We have had a long day. It's time to get some sleep, you two," Tuulikki said softly. Beku faced her with a smile and nodded.

"Ah yes, I agree completely Tuulikki. I was just making sure that everything went smoothly for Steele. Goodnight," Beku said with a glance over at Steele as if daring him to say otherwise. Steele eyed him boldly, but remained quiet as he walked off to the other side of the clearing. Steele grunted then turned and walked toward his sleeping spot. Tuulikki walked to his side and gently touched his cheek with her nose.

"He wasn't giving you a hard time about something, was he?" Tuulikki asked with concern. Steele forced a smile and shook his head.

"No, not at all. I can see past that tough guy act he was putting up," Steele said with a light chuckle. Tuulikki smiled softly and nipped gently at Steele's shoulder.

"Alright, get some sleep. Goodnight," Tuulikki said with a light giggle before she walked over to her sleeping spot and lay down. Steele nodded lightly then lay down in his sleeping spot as well. He glanced up at the stars and sighed softly.

"I'll never forget you Fayac," Steele whispered quietly before he drifted off to sleep.


	6. Danger

Steele was woken up by a lick on his nose. He opened his eyes and was met with the sight of Tuulikki's blue eyes, nearly a mirrored version of his own.

"Good morning!" Tuulikki said brightly. Steele grunted lightly as he stood up and gave his body a shake. He quickly glanced around the clearing and noticed that the rest of the pack members were still asleep. His head titled slightly in confusion.

"What the…" Steele grumbled lowly. Tuulikki playfully head butted his side with a soft yip.

"I know it's early, but sometimes like to go for swims in the morning before a patrol and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me," Tuulikki offered while her tail wagged swiftly from side to side. Steele raised a brow and looked her curiously as he considered the offer. Soon he found that he couldn't help but smile and he nodded once in agreement.

"Alright," Steele replied with a chuckle. Tuulikki yipped softly once again and displayed how pleased she was with his answer.

"Excellent! Let's go!" Tuulikki said before she quickly dashed off. Steele widened his eyes momentarily in surprise then grinned widely and ran after her. From across the clearing, Castoph lifted his head and glared after Steele as he disappeared.

"Enjoy it while you can, Steele. You won't be the favorite for long," Castoph said bitterly with a low growl. He got up and shook off his fur then nudged Beku's side. Beku grunted and lifted his head.

"What do you want, Castoph? It's too early for you to be messing with me," Beku said with an annoyed tone as he draped a paw over his face. Castoph lowered his ears apologetically.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, but I need your help. It might help me get Steele out of the alpha's good favor," Castoph said lowly. Beku flicked his ears with interest and looked intently at Castoph before he stood up.

"How's that?" Beku said, a little less annoyed and more intrigued. Castoph grinned lightly.

"We'll, he and Tuulikki went off alone together not long ago. If we could find a way to have the alpha see them without them knowing that they are being watched, he may see something he doesn't like. I'm certain that they are just behaving while he's around," Castoph explained. Beku raised a brow and grunted lightly.

"You honestly think that would work?" Beku asked. Castoph grunted lightly and cast his gaze downward.

"Well… I don't know. I thought it was worth a try," Castoph mumbled quietly. Beku groaned in slight frustration.

"Whatever. I'll go talk to the alpha and try to come up with something I guess. When I motion to you, walk over," Beku said before he walked over to Altair's den. Once at the entrance, he sat down and barked lightly. Altair woke up then walked over to Beku.

"What is it Beku?" Altair asked calmly. Beku dipped his head with respect.

"Sorry to disturb you, but I was wondering if we could start the patrol early today. After all, our pack has a new member and the patrol may take a little longer. Plus we will probably want to be sure he knows the borders well too," Beku said. Altair flicked his tail thoughtfully as he considered before he finally nodded.

"Very well. Would you mind fetching Steele and asking him to see me? I'd like for him to be at my side as second in command for the patrol," Altair said. Beku turned and subtly motioned for Castoph to come over. Castoph nodded once then walked over.

"Steele isn't here, Altair," Castoph said softly. Altair grunted lightly.

"Where is he then?" Altair asked firmly. Castoph glanced around casually.

"I think I may have seen him leave with Tuulikki earlier this morning," Castoph replied. Altair flicked his ears slightly at the news.

"Did they tell either of you they were leaving?" Altair asked. Beku and Castoph both shook their heads. A very low growl rumbled softly in Altair's throat for a moment, but he was soon silent and lifted his head to scent the air. Once he found Steele and Tuulikki's scents, he began to walk.

* * *

At the river, Steele and Tuulikki were enjoying their swim. Tuulikki giggled and tugged gently at Steele's ear as she gracefully swam past him.

"Come on Steele! You're such a slow swimmer!" Tuulikki teased. Steele growled playfully and swam after her then pulled her under. Just as the two went under the surface, Altair and the others appeared. Castoph growled lightly.

"He's going to drown her!" Castoph exclaimed before he quickly ran then leapt into the water. Altair and Beku ran over to the water's edge. Bubbles came up to the surface then the water settled. Soon, Steele came up to the surface holding Tuulikki by the scruff. Shortly after, Castoph came above the surface gasping for air. Steele quickly swam to the shore then laid Tuulikki down. Castoph was out of the water shortly after and sat down still panting slightly. Steele shot him a fierce glare and bared his teeth.

"Are you insane?! You nearly drown her! If you hadn't leapt on top of her and made her take in that water, she'd be fine right now!" Steele growled. Castoph growled and bristled slightly despite his wet fur.

"You were the one who was trying to drown her!" Castoph retorted angrily. Steele grunted and raised his brows in dismay.

"Why would I want to drown her?! We were playing, you idiot!" Steele shouted. Altair growled loudly in frustration and used his flank to push both of them into the water.

"Both of you shut up! My sister needs help, not arguing!" Altair growled angrily. He turned to Tuulikki, but was surprised to see Beku already helping her. He had gently turned her over so her chest was facing upwards. He then placed his paws on her chest then pressed down a few times successively. He repeated the procedure until Tuulikki finally stirred and opened her eyes. She rolled over onto her stomach and gasped for air then coughed up some water. Beku smiled lightly then turned to the others.

"She's going to be alright," Beku said happily. Tuulikki nudged his hind leg with her nose and Beku turned back his attention to her.

"Th-thank you," Tuulikki said quietly before she laid her head down and closed her eyes. Beku pressed his nose softly against her muzzle in response. He looked back up as the rest of the pack walked over. Altair smiled lightly at Beku.

"Thank you, Beku. Can you help Tuulikki back to the clearing? Once you get there, take her to my den and watch over her so she can rest," Altair said. Beku nodded once then nudged Tuulikki's shoulder gently. Her eyes fluttered open and she lifted her head. Beku gently helped her up and the two headed back. Once they were out of earshot, Altair faced Castoph and Steele with a glare.

"What is wrong with you two? Explain yourselves. Now," Altair demanded, his annoyance clear. Both Castoph and Steele lowered their heads and were quiet for a moment. Finally, Castoph broke the silence.

"When we got to the river, all I saw was Steele taking her under. I overreacted and didn't realize it until it was too late. I'm sorry Altair," Castoph said quietly. Altair grunted lightly then looked at Steele expectantly. Steele sighed lightly.

"I'm also sorry for not telling someone before Tuulikki and I left. If I had told someone we were going, this probably wouldn't have happened," Steele said. Altair nodded then sat down with a soft sigh.

"Listen you two. Something like this better not happen again, understood? Now since Beku and Tuulikki and headed back to the clearing, it's just down to the three of us to do the patrol. Let's go," Altair said before he stood up and began walking towards the nearest border. Both Castoph and Steele nodded followed after.


	7. Break

By the time Altair, Castoph and Steele had returned to the clearing, Beku and Tuulikki had settled down and were both asleep just outside of Altair's den. Tuulikki's head was resting across Beku's front paws while his head was comfortably placed between her neck and shoulders. Both Castoph and Steele bristled at the sight, but Altair didn't seem to mind and remained silent. He calmly walked over and nudged Beku lightly with his nose.

"Beku… wake up," Altair said quietly making sure to not wake up Tuulikki from her sleep. Beku grunted softly and opened his eyes sleepily before he lifted his head and met Altair's gaze.

"Ah. Hello Altair. Do you need me for something?" Beku questioned lightly. Altair opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a quiet sigh. Altair and Beku focused their attention to the source of the noise and saw Tuulikki nuzzle close against Beku's body. Altair titled his head to one side and chuckled lightly.

"No, stay with her. I'll take the others on a hunt so you may have peace," Altair said with a smile. Beku returned the smile and nodded. Altair turned and began to walk away. Castoph sighed under his breath and reluctantly followed. Steele was the only one who lingered for a moment. He grunted and glared slightly at Beku.

"If you're using her just to get on good terms with Altair, you're even worse than I thought," Steele growled. Beku gave Steele a smug grin, flashing his canines.

"What I do is not of your concern. Besides, I believe you have a hunt to get to," Beku countered with a grunt. Steele bristled then ran off after the others out of the clearing. Beku grinned then looked down at Tuulikki and gently licked her forehead before he stood up and walked into the middle of the clearing. He cast a quick glance back at Tuulikki then looked out into the distance.

"My motivation to keep this up will be for power. Soon, she will develop enough feelings for me that she will be blinded her emotions. When the time is right, I will kill Altair and frame Steele as the killer. She'll hate him and help me drive him out. With her at my side I will be able to get this pack started on the road to becoming greater than it has ever been. All other packs will have the strength of my pack to fear. I'll make sure of that." Beku chuckled darkly.

* * *

It was late into the night when Altair returned with Castoph and Steele following behind carrying caribou meat. They had all eaten their fill at the kill and now needed to feed the rest of the pack. Altair entered the clearing and was the first to spot Beku and Tuulikki. Beku growled playfully as his tail wagged while Tuulikki nipped playfully at his cheeks. Altair chuckled lightly and bounded over to the pair.

"Good to see you are doing better, Tuulikki," Altair said softly. Tuulikki nodded and nipped at Beku once more.

"Thanks to this fellow here," Tuulikki said happily. Beku chuckled lightly and shrugged at the acknowledgement.

"Well, who wouldn't save her life? She's too beautiful to let slip away," Beku replied with a grin. Altair flicked his tail with his approval and nodded.

"Thank you once again, Beku. Now, both of you should eat some food. Castoph and Steele brought back some caribou," Altair said with a quick point of his muzzle to the pair coming into the clearing before he headed off to his den. Beku and Tuulikki walked over to the middle of the clearing. Castoph and Steele placed meat in front of the pair then quietly walked to their sleeping spots to lie down. Beku and Tuulikki began to eat their portions side by side.

* * *

Once the pair had finished eating, Beku led Tuulikki over to his sleeping spot. He cast a subtly challenging glance at Castoph.

"Castoph, if you wouldn't mind, Tuulikki would like to sleep by my side tonight. It wouldn't be too much trouble for you to sleep in her spot instead, would it?" Beku asked in a calm tone. Castoph had known Beku long enough to recognize that this wasn't a casual question, but was instead a silent demand. He flicked his tail once and stood up.

"Sure, no problem," Castoph mumbled as he walked over to the spot beside Steele and lay down. Beku and Tuulikki soon settled down. Steele grunted loudly with irritation and prodded Castoph's shoulder with his nose.

"What's the matter with you? Why would you listen and let him get away with that? He's only using Tuulikki. You should know that," Steele said in annoyance. Castoph glared at him.

"You don't know Beku like I do. He's not one to start something with. He's dangerous. Just go to sleep. You should just give up on Tuulikki," Castoph said quietly before resting his head on his paws with a sigh. Steele grunted in surprise and looked back across the clearing. Beku gently licked Tuulikki's face as she happily wagged her tail. Steele growled lightly under his breath then rested his head on his paws and soon fell asleep.

* * *

A week had passed since Beku had saved Tuulikki and matters had only gotten worse for Steele and Castoph from there. Beku and Tuulikki were inseparable, Steele lost his position as second in command to Beku and Altair began putting Beku in charge of patrols which only made Castoph and Steele's lives that much more demanding.

As the sun rose, Beku was the first to rise. He walked over to Altair's den and barked quietly. Altair woke up then walked over to the entrance of the den and looked at Beku expectantly.

"Altair, may I have a word?" Beku asked with a slight tilt of his head. Altair flicked his ears lightly with a moment of consideration.

"Ah, Beku. Of course. What is it?" Altair asked curiously. Beku flicked his gaze to the trees.

"Would you mind if we took a walk? I have a lot on my mind," Beku replied. Altair nodded then stood up and the two of them headed into the woods. Steele lifted his head once they passed by. He could tell something was up. He stood up quietly and followed after them at a distance.

* * *

Steele stopped and observed Altair and Beku from behind a bush. The two were getting a drink from the lake. Suddenly, Beku lifted his head and locked his jaws on the back Altair's neck. Altair gasped and yelped then tried to pull away. Steele growled loudly and leapt out from behind the bush.

"Beku! Let him go!" Steele shouted with a growl. Beku's eyes flicked upward for a moment before he quickly twisted his head to one side while still holding firmly onto Altair's neck. A faint snapping sound echoed in the clearing and Altair's body went limp. Steele froze in his tracks and stared in shock as Beku flung Altair's body into the lake. As Altair's body slowly sank into deeper water, Beku quickly dashed off toward the clearing. Rather than pursuing Beku, Steele ran to the lake's shore and swam into the water after Altair. Maybe, just maybe, there might be a chance.

* * *

Beku burst into the clearing and barked frantically. Castoph and Tuulikki were awake in an instant and ran over to him.

"What's going on?" The two of them asked simultaneously. Beku struggled for a moment to catch his breath before he spoke.

"It's Steele. He and Altair left a while ago, but didn't come back. I followed their trail, but I was too late… I think he's drowned Altair. I was going to face him alone, but who knows what he's capable of. I need your help," Beku explained urgently. Castoph and Tuulikki nodded and followed quickly after Beku.

* * *

As Beku, Castoph and Tuulikki returned to the lake, Steele was pulling Altair's body by the scruff off the neck out of the water. The three of them growled loudly at the sight and Steele released Altair's scuff before glancing up.

"Please… listen to me. I didn't do this," Steele stammered. Tuulikki's fur was bristled with anger as she ran full speed at Steele. She quickly leapt and bit down as hard as she could down on his shoulder. Steele yelped loudly and attempted to shake her off, but soon Castoph had leapt onto his back and had bitten down firmly on his other shoulder. Beku ran over and bit down on Steele's hind leg and caused Steele to collapse. Steele feebly tried to move, but to no avail. He soon had no other choice but to give in. Beku was the first to release his grip and after he did so, he nudged Castoph and Tuulikki as a signal to let go. Though both of them growled loudly, they obeyed the silent order. Tuulikki glanced at Altair's body and whimpered softly before she went to over to him and gently nudged his muzzle with her nose. There was no response. She lowered her ears sadly then turned her gaze back to Steele.

"How could you?! You killed my brother! He let you into this pack and this is how you thank him?!" Tuulikki shouted angrily, her teeth bared. Steele whined softly and looked downward.

"I didn't…" Steele managed to get out before Castoph quickly bit down on his muzzle which caused him to yelp in pain.

"Shut up traitor!" Castoph shouted with a growl. Tuulikki sighed softly and turned her gaze to the lake. Beku growled at Steele before looking up at Tuulikki.

"Tuulikki, you're in charge now. What do you want us to do with him?" Beku asked. Tuulikki grunted softly, but didn't turn to face the others.

"Drive him away. I never want to see him again. If either you or Castoph sees him in our territory again, you have my permission to kill him," Tuulikki said in a low tone. Steele gasped in shock and tried to stand up, but Beku still had him pinned.

"As you wish," Beku said as he stepped away from Steele. Steele shakily got to his feet and looked at everyone. Beku had his teeth bared and was ready in case he made a move, Castoph was also ready and waiting, and Tuulikki was lost in grief while Altair's body lay in the mud. There was no point in trying to argue anymore. Everything pointed to him. Steele sighed and lowered his ears in defeat. He could have stopped this, but it was too late now. No one would believe him. He turned and ran without looking back. Castoph ran after him to make sure that he was out of the territory, but Beku stayed. He lowered his ears slightly and walked over to Tuulikki.

"I'm here," Beku said softly before he licked Tuulikki's muzzle. She whimpered softly in response and nuzzled herself closer to him.

* * *

Even after Steele had crossed the border, he could still hear Castoph following him. He finally stopped and turned to face him. Castoph stopped and bared his teeth at Steele.

"Well, you heard Tuulikki. Out of respect for her, I'm not going to kill you unless I see you in our territory again. I thought better of you than to stoop to this," Castoph said with a disgusted grunt. Steele glared defiantly at Castoph.

"You may not believe what I say, but it wasn't me. Beku did it. I saw it myself. If you chose to stay with the pack, you should be cautious," Steele said softly. Castoph growled and turned away then ran back toward the territory. Steele sighed and continued to walk for a while to put more distance from his old territory before he finally stopped and lay down. Everything had once again gone wrong for him. Sure, he had originally wanted to eventually become alpha of the pack, but he would never have resorted to killing Altair to do so. Now he was once again completely alone. This time loneliness hit him harder than before. He didn't have anywhere to go or anyone to turn to.


	8. Lost and Found

It had been around a year since he had been driven out of the pack and Steele had managed to successfully live on his own. From time to time, he would wonder what happened to the pack during his absence, but he had long accepted that he probably would never know. More often than that though, he found himself reflecting on his life. Early on, he convinced himself that he was simply a victim of bad circumstances, but as more time went on, he realized that wasn't always the case. Instead, he now understood that some of his misfortunes were his own fault. From that understanding, he hoped that eventually he would have a better life and not repeat his same mistakes. The first step in bettering his life would begin with him improving himself.

Steele sighed and shook his head slightly to get out of his thoughts. He quietly observed the surroundings. It was quiet and based on the lack of fresh scents in the air, there wasn't any prey in the area. Suddenly, a scent in the air caught his attention. He deeply inhaled the scent just to confirm. It belonged to Castoph. Steele couldn't help but feel eager to see the wolf again, even if they hadn't left on good terms. He ran toward the scent and stopped when he saw Castoph lying down beside a fallen tree trunk. He flicked his tail and barked lightly. Castoph flicked his ears upward and turned his attention to Steele. There was a short moment of silence between the two before Steele finally slowly walked over.

"Castoph, what are you doing so far away from your territory?" Steele asked with a tilt of his head. Castoph sighed softly as he sat up.

"I left the pack," Castoph said quietly. Steele flicked his ears curiously.

"What's happened since I left?" Steele ventured in hopes of getting more details. Castoph grunted lightly.

"Not too long after you left, a female loner asked to join the pack. Beku recognized her. It turned out she was his sister, Meka. She got along with everyone fine, including me. Admittedly I liked a little, but of course, Beku wouldn't let me be around her too often. Anyway, as you may have already assumed, Beku is the now the alpha and Tuulikki is his mate. They had a litter of three actually. After a while, I started to feel useless. Beku and Tuulikki are capable of hunting without me since Meka stays and watches the pups. I didn't really have a place and I knew I wouldn't really be missed either. So I left," Castoph explained before he glanced down at the ground. Steele lowered his ears slightly. He could understand how Castoph was feeling. Being alone was difficult.

"Oh, I'm sorry. If you want, you could stay with me," Steele offered gently. Castoph glanced up at Steele for a moment before he stood up and looked out to the horizon.

"No thank you. I'm going to find another pack," Castoph said as he began to walk away. Steele grunted lightly and lowered his ears. It had been too long since he had company and part of him didn't want Castoph to leave so soon.

"Castoph, please wait," Steele pleaded softly. Castoph glanced back at Steele with a soft expression and lowered his ears slightly.

"Steele, it's honestly nothing personal. I just need to start over. Oh, and for what it's worth, I know Beku was the one who really killed Altair," Castoph said quietly. Steele's eyes widened in surprise.

"Does Tuulikki know?" Steele asked. Castoph sat down and shrugged slightly.

"I don't think so. It wouldn't matter anyway, Steele. She loves Beku too much to listen even if I tried to tell her and I know Beku wouldn't say anything either. I found out when I had to bury Altair's body. I realized that his neck was broken and that he didn't drown. Beku's the only wolf I have met that can break bones so precisely without leaving a mark. That's another reason I wanted to leave. Like I said before, he's dangerous. You don't have to worry about the others though. Despite originally using her as a stepping stone to power, I do believe that Beku does genuinely care about Tuulikki now as well as their pups. And as far as his sister, she is important to him so he won't harm her either. I left knowing that everyone was safe," Castoph explained. Steele nodded lightly as took in all the information.

"I see. So, you're going off on your own now?" Steele asked. Castoph nodded.

"Yes. I'm going to head to the sea. I hear there's a large pack there. You can come if you want to," Castoph offered as he stood once again and began walking. Steele nodded and walked beside him.

"Lead the way," Steele said with a soft smile. Castoph returned the smile and the two continued walking.

* * *

There had been some change in Nome as well since Steele had left. Most of the people and dogs carried on with their lives as normal after the outbreak had been cured. Balto and Jenna had pups of their own and all but one of them had gotten homes. The only one left was a female named Aleu. Unlike her siblings, she looked more like a wolf than a husky.

Since she hadn't gotten a home, she lived with her father in the old ship by the beach. One day, Aleu had gone out to play with Muk and Luk and was nearly killed by a hunter. After that, Balto had no choice but to explain why. He finally had to tell her why a human wouldn't want her. She hated hearing the truth and ran away.

* * *

Castoph and Steele had been walking for a while and when a distant town came into view, Steele stopped. There was no mistaking it. It was Nome. Castoph grunted softly when he noticed that Steele wasn't following. He paused and looked back with a tilt of his head.

"Steele, what is it?" Castoph asked. Steele looked back at Castoph.

"You go on ahead. I can't keep going with you. I'm going to take a different path," Steele said softly. Castoph looked questioningly at Steele for a moment, but then nodded.

"Alright. Be careful of that town by the way. You wouldn't want to get caught by a human," Castoph said before he dashed off. Steele sighed slightly as flashes of memories rushed back to him. He nearly felt tempted to go back, but he knew that he couldn't after all this time. He lowered his ears then went in the opposite direction until he reached a waterfall and stopped for a drink. As he lifted his head, he spotted a cave beside the waterfall and went inside before he lay down to rest. It was a little damp, but he wasn't bothered and was soon asleep.

* * *

Night had fallen and Aleu had reached a waterfall. She sighed lightly and looked down at her reflection in the water.

"Where do I belong?" Aleu asked in a soft whisper. Not far from her, Steele had woken up and was looking out of the cave entrance when he spotted her. He tilted his head then walked out onto the rock path.

"Hello. Who would you be?" Steele asked quietly. Aleu gasped softly and stood up then looked up at him. She flicked her ears slightly as her blue eyes met Steele's.


	9. Warmth

Aleu blinked for a moment as she studied the male. He was larger and taller than she was, but didn't behave aggressively. She titled her head slightly to one side as she thought things over. Steele took a moment to study the female as well before she finally broke the silence.

"My name is Aleu. What's yours?" Aleu asked, still watching the male. Steele flicked his tail slightly.

"My name is Steele," Steele responded. Aleu twitched her ears slightly. The name seemed to be faintly familiar, but she couldn't place why. She nodded once.

"It's nice to meet you Steele," Aleu said with a soft smile. Steele nodded as he took in Aleu's scent for a moment. She smelled faintly of the town and also carried another faintly familiar scent that he couldn't currently place.

"Likewise. Are you from that town?" Steele asked, pointing with his muzzle. Aleu sighed softly and glanced down.

"I was from town, but I ran away," Aleu mumbled. Steele titled his head slightly with interest. He couldn't help but wonder why Aleu had run away, but he also knew not to ask so soon.

"I see. You're welcome to stay with me for the night if you like. There's a cave near the waterfall," Steele offered with a gentle smile. Aleu nodded lightly.

"Thank you," Aleu said with a few wags of her tail. Steele led her over to the cave and towards the back where it was dry and warmer.

"I hope this is alright for you," Steele said. Aleu smiled and lay down.

"Yes, it's fine," Aleu said with a light yawn. She was soon asleep. Steele smiled happily, glad to have some company. He then rested his head on his paws and fell asleep soon after. Steele wasn't asleep for long when he was woken up by a cold breeze. He shivered lightly then glanced over at Aleu. She was awake as well and shivering worse than he was.

"Aleu, if you want, I could sleep closer to you. Both of us would be warmer," Steele offered with a tilt of his head. Aleu was too cold to disagree and she nodded quickly in response. Steele got up and lay down beside her. The two were close enough for their fur to brush against each other slightly. Even though Aleu had just met Steele, she felt safer in his company and couldn't help but smile happily. She gently nudged his shoulder with her nose.

"Thank you, Steele," Aleu said with her happy smile still across her face. Steele returned the smile.

"You're welcome, Aleu," Steele said as he watched Aleu get settled. He remained awake for a while, even after Aleu had fallen back asleep. He glanced outside and could see stars reflected on the water's surface. He then turned his attention back to Aleu and lightly sniffed her fur. Why did she smell so familiar to him? Perhaps he was only imagining it. He yawned lightly and rested his head back onto his paws. Just as he closed his eyes, he felt movement at his side. He glanced over and saw Aleu shiver slightly before snuggling her body right next to his. He smiled softly before he fell asleep.

* * *

The next morning, Aleu was the first to rise. She yawned lightly and looked around. Steele was still asleep and she noticed how close to each other they were. She couldn't recall who had closed the cap and her first thought was to move away since she hardly knew Steele, but then she remembered how cold it was last night. She must have been the one who moved to get warmer, not Steele. She quickly calmed down, nearly laughing at herself for the momentary panic. Steele hadn't moved away, so it was obvious that he wasn't bothered. She smiled lightly and waited quietly for him to wake up. A few moments later, Steele woke up and he smiled sleepily at Aleu before he got up and stretched.

"Did you sleep well, Aleu?" Steele asked casually. Aleu stood up and stretched then nodded.

"Very well," Aleu said with a giggle. Steele chuckled then walked out of the cave to get a drink of water. Aleu followed and drank beside him. As they finished, Aleu looked in the direction of the town and her stomach growled lightly. Steele flicked his ears at the sound then grinned.

"Hungry?" Steele prompted casually. Aleu lowered her ears in embarrassment.

"A little…" Aleu admitted quietly. Steele chuckled softly.

"I'll catch something for you. You're welcome to come along and watch as well if you want," Steele offered with a smile. Aleu smiled brightly and nodded.

"Thank you. That's kind of you. And I'd like to come along as well," Aleu said with a couple wags of her tail. Steele nodded then began walking and Aleu followed closely behind. The pair walked for a while until Steele stopped and looked back at Aleu.

"Just up ahead there is a herd of caribou. Stay hidden and quiet," Steele whispered. Aleu nodded and watched in interest as Steele slowly walked closer to the herd. Steele flicked his tail and headed to the side of the herd, carefully staying out of sight. Once he was close enough, he flexed his shoulders and got ready to run. The caribou lifted their heads and sniffed the air then scattered. Steele emerged from his hiding spot and ran straight for a young caribou that was near the middle of the herd. It turned to try and get away, but bumped into the others that were that were also trying to escape which in turn slowed it down. Steele growled and leapt then closed his jaws on its neck. The caribou collapsed and fell to the ground. Steele finished it off with a firm bite to the windpipe then released his jaws. He looked up towards Aleu's direction with a nod, signaling her to come over. Aleu nodded in return and ran over to Steele and the caribou.

"That was absolutely amazing, Steele! I knew wild animals caught their own food, but I didn't think I'd actually get to see it for myself. Who taught you?" Aleu asked excitedly as her tail wagged. Steele chuckled softly at Aleu's enthusiasm.

"Well thank you. A… friend taught me," Steele said softly as memories of Fayac flashed in his mind. Aleu nodded, not noticing the change in tone or pressing any further. She eyed the caribou and licked her lips hungrily then looked back at Steele.

"You caught it so you can eat first," Aleu mumbled lightly as she glanced down at the ground. Steele snapped back from his memories then smiled warmly and walked over to Aleu's side. He nudged her shoulder with his muzzle.

"I caught it for you because I said I would. Besides, ladies first," Steele said with a grin. Aleu looked up and smiled then wagged her tail happily. Without even really thinking about it, she licked the side of Steele's muzzle in appreciation.

"Thank you so much Steele," Aleu said cheerfully. She then turned to the caribou and began eating. Steele blinked in surprise at the affectionate gesture then smiled and leaned down to eat beside Aleu. After the two had had their fill, they walked side by side back to the waterfall and got a drink. Aleu yawned softly which resulted in a chuckle from Steele.

"Does someone need a nap?" Steele teased with a raised brow. Aleu growled playfully in defiance.

"Yeah right! I don't need a nap! But you know what I think we could do?" Aleu asked with a grin. Steele tilted his head curiously to one side.

"What's that?" Steele asked. Aleu's grin widened.

"Go for a run!" Aleu exclaimed before she pushed Steele into the shallow water and ran off. Steele grunted and stood up with a grin then ran after Aleu. After a while, Steele had finally caught up to Aleu. After running for some time, Aleu and Steele stopped to catch their breath. Steele chuckled softly and nudged Aleu with a paw.

"You know, you're pretty fast," Steele complimented. Aleu giggled and smiled brightly.

"Thanks. So are you," Aleu responded. Steele nipped softly at Aleu's cheek.

"Are you alright with taking a relaxing walk back?" Steele asked. Aleu smiled and nipped Steele's cheek in return then nodded in agreement.

"I'd like that," Aleu said with a few wags of her tail. The pair then began to walk back towards the waterfall side by side with their fur occasionally brushing against each other and tails happily swaying together.


	10. Realizations

While Aleu and Steele leisurely walked back to the waterfall, Balto was headed in the same direction from town. He had picked up Aleu's scent and was determined to find her today. He picked up his speed as he reached the waterfall. Once he arrived he scented the area and picked up another scent. The scent of someone that he didn't think he would ever see again. He grunted lightly, hoping he was only imagining it, and glanced around. He spotted the cave beside the cave and tilted his head curiously before he slowly walked inside. Just as he disappeared into the cave, Aleu and Steele came back into the area. Steele slowed down and glanced toward the cave. He could hear the sound of paw steps inside. He defensively stepped in front of Aleu.

"Hang on Aleu. There's someone inside," Steele said as he moved forward with bristled fur and bared teeth. Aleu sniffed the air then gasped softly.

"Steele, wait! I smell my papa!" Aleu shouted. Steele stopped and from inside the cave, Balto flicked his ears at the sound of his daughter's voice. Balto ran out of the cave then stopped in his tracks, not surprised to see his daughter, but who she was with. Steele also stood still and stared at Balto in dismay. Aleu glanced back and forth between them.

"What's wrong?" Aleu asked with slight worry. Balto was the first to snap out of it and he quickly placed himself between Aleu and Steele.

"Aleu, get away from him! He's not safe!" Balto exclaimed with a growl directed at Steele. Steele shook his head and took a step back as he snapped back to reality.

"Not safe?! I've been keeping her safe this whole time!" Steele retorted with a louder growl. Balto bared his teeth and grunted in disbelief.

"That's funny, Steele! You never cared about anyone but yourself!" Balto shouted. Steele growled and bristled then took a step forward. Aleu grunted in irritation and stepped in between the two of them then growled in frustration.

"Both of you stop it! How do you even know each other?!" Aleu demanded. Balto and Steele both calmed down, but not by much. Balto was the first to speak.

"Steele used to live in town. He was a sled dog. He and I didn't get along because I'm part wolf. That and he lied to every dog in town to make himself sound like a hero," Balto explained. Aleu gasped softly in shock and looked at Steele.

"Is that true, Steele?" Aleu asked in almost a whisper. Steele sighed softly and nodded.

"Yes, it's true. That was so long ago that I tried to forget about it, but I did end up learning from it. To tell you the truth, I'm not proud of who I used to be. It was because of who I was and the decisions I made that I lost so much that was important to me," Steele said as he lowered his ears sadly. Balto eyed Steele suspiciously then began to walk toward town.

"Even if that's true, now that my daughter knows who you really are, she and I should be on our way. Aleu, let's go," Balto said as he continued to walk. Aleu whimpered softly and looked at Steele.

"Steele…" Aleu whispered. Steele sighed with defeat and looked down.

"Just go, Aleu. I'm sure you don't want to have anything to do with me now," Steele said quietly.

"But Steele, you're not like that anymore. I know you're not. I have seen so myself. You accepted me and took care of me. You didn't care who or what I was. I don't want to leave you alone," Aleu whispered. Steele flicked his ears upward and looked up at Aleu.

"Your father wouldn't want you to stay…" Steele said. Aleu lowered her ears and glanced in the direction her father had gone. She noticed that he had stopped to wait for her. She grunted lightly in irritation.

"He treats me like a baby. I can make my own decisions. I would rather be in the wild than back in town where no human will ever want me," Aleu said with a determined tone. Steele raised a brow.

"It can be tough out here though. Life would be easier for you back in town with your family," Steele said with a quick glance toward Balto before looking back at Aleu. Aleu rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"Steele, you've been out here for more than a year and you're still standing. Plus, I'm part wolf so part of me belongs out here anyways," Aleu said confidently. Steele chuckled softly.

"You may feel like you belong here, but you'd have so much to learn if you were to live here," Steele said. Aleu lowered her ears for a moment, but quickly flicked them back up again.

"I can come here every morning and you could teach me what I need to know. Once I learn enough, I can live out here permanently with you," Aleu said with a smile. Steele raised a brow at her last word.

"Why do you want to live out here with me?" Steele asked curiously. Aleu flicked her tail from side to side and shuffled her paws slightly.

"We both know what it's like when you're not wanted and I refuse to let you or myself feel like that again if I can do something about it. I'd have a real home and you wouldn't be alone ever again. Plus I just know there's something special about you. You're not like anyone else I've met," Aleu said with a soft smile. Steele smiled in return at her explanation and felt a little surprised at how much she cared. In truth, he knew that he also cared about her too.

"I'm glad that's how you feel. I believe there's something special about you too," Steele said with a happy chuckle. Balto barked softly and Aleu glanced back at him then at Steele again.

"I had better go for now. I will be back tomorrow morning, ok?" Aleu prompted. Steele grinned and nodded once.

"Tomorrow morning it is then," Steele said. Aleu nodded then glanced back at her father who had turned and began to walk toward town again. She giggled softly then quickly nuzzled her nose against Steele's cheek then ran to catch up with her father. As she left, Steele smiled happily. Even though his cheek was a little cold from Aleu's nose, he felt warm inside. He watched as Aleu and Balto disappeared then he headed back to the waterfall. Even though they now both knew who each other were, something still compelled them to see each other again. There was something more aside from their quickly formed friendship. A special bond that nothing could break.


	11. Lessons

Aleu yawned softly then lifted her head and glanced around. It was very early morning and the sky was still somewhat dark. She quietly got up then stepped out of her room that she stayed in on the old ship. She then silently tiptoed past her still sleeping father and leapt off the boat onto the soft sand below. She giggled to herself then ran in the direction of the waterfall.

* * *

Steele flicked his ears upward when he heard a soft yip. He opened his eyes and looked out of the mouth of the cave. Soon, Aleu appeared in view and he smiled brightly and began to wag his tail. He got up and ran over to meet her.

"Good morning, Aleu," Steele said. Aleu smiled and nipped gently at Steele's cheek.

"Good morning, Steele. I'm ready for my first lesson," Aleu said excitedly as her tail wagged. Steele grinned and nodded.

"Alright then, follow me," Steele said before he began to walk towards the more dense part of the forest. Aleu nodded and followed.

* * *

Steele rolled his eyes and chuckled softly to himself. He then stepped out from bush he was behind. Aleu glanced up nervously.

"Did I do it wrong again?" Aleu asked in a worried tone. Steele smiled softly then placed a paw on Aleu's back end and pushed down slightly.

"Get your butt and tail down. You should be closer to the ground," Steele instructed. Aleu grunted in frustration.

"Darn it! I will never get it right!" Aleu complained. Steele chuckled softly and nipped softly at Aleu's muzzle.

"Oh hush, you are doing well for a beginner," Steele said cheerfully. Aleu smiled softly.

"You mean that?" Aleu asked hopefully. Steele nodded.

"Much better off than I was when I started. It's probably because you have wolf in you." Steele said with a chuckle. Aleu giggled softly then looked at Steele for a moment.

"I know you told me a friend taught you to hunt, but you never went into detail. What was your friend like?" Aleu asked softly. Steele sighed and lowered his ears.

"Well, the first wild animal I encountered when I ran away was a fox. Her name was Fayac. She is the one who told me about the wolf pack I was in earlier. I told her I wanted to be in the pack and she offered to help me. As she taught me, we became friends," Steele reflected quietly. Aleu listened and nodded lightly.

"So… what happened to her?" Aleu asked. Steele sighed again.

"She was killed by one of the wolves in the pack," Steele answered. Aleu whimpered softly and nuzzled Steele gently.

"Oh. I'm sorry you lost your friend and teacher," Aleu said in a gentle tone. Steele gently nuzzled her in return then licked the top of Aleu's nose.

"At least I have someone to pass on her lessons to now," Steele said with a soft smile. Aleu nodded and smiled softly.

"That's right! Now, where were we?" Aleu asked before she crouched down to the ground. Steele chuckled and crouched down beside Aleu, demonstration the correct form.

"Pay attention and do as I do," Steele instructed. Aleu nodded.

* * *

Aleu yawned softly as she and Steele walked back to the waterfall. The sun was near setting now. Steele glanced over at Aleu and chuckled softly.

"I didn't think you would want to keep trying so hard," Steele said with a grin. Aleu giggled softly and nipped gently at Steele's cheek.

"I don't give up easily. Besides, now I've got some experience under my belt," Aleu said with a determined smile. Steele nodded.

"That's true. If you keep this up, we will be done in no time and then you can go on your first hunt," Steele said. Aleu beamed proudly.

"I look forward to it," Aleu said. Steele nodded then glanced at the sky.

"Looks like it is time for you to get home," Steele said softly. Aleu rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I know," Aleu said with a giggle. She gently licked Steele's muzzle then dashed back towards town. Steele chuckled and watched her go then headed back to the cave.

* * *

The next two days, the lessons continued and soon Aleu had learned all she could from Steele. On the third day she arrived, Steele met her with a proud smile.

"Today is the day, Aleu," Steele said when Aleu got to him. Aleu wagged her tail and grinned.

"My first hunt alone?" Aleu inquired. Steele nodded.

"Yes. You will have no help from me this time. I will just observe. Your hunt starts now," Steele said. Aleu nodded then smirked and sniffed the air. She licked her lips eagerly as the scent of caribou filled her nostrils. She slowly began to go in the direction of the scent and Steele followed a short distance behind.


	12. Breaking the News

Steele gasped softly in amazement as he watched Aleu run quickly, but still gracefully beside a small female caribou. Aleu growled then leapt forward and locked her jaws on the caribou's neck. The caribou fell to the ground then Aleu quickly finished it off with a precise bite before she released her jaws. Steele beamed proudly and walked over.

"Well done Aleu," Steele complimented. Aleu smirked and sat down.

"I learned from the best," Aleu replied. Steele chuckled.

"Well, I doubt I'm the best teacher, but I must be doing something right," Steele said. Aleu giggled softly then looked down at the caribou before looking back up at Steele.

"Would you like to share it with me?" Aleu offered with a smile. Steele smiled in return and nodded.

"Sure. You get first bite though. It is your kill," Steele replied. Aleu nodded then took a bite of the caribou. Soon, Steele joined in at her side. After the two had their fill, Aleu and Steele walked back to the waterfall. Aleu stretched then glanced in the direction of town before she looked back at Steele.

"Hey… Steele?" Aleu prompted quietly. Steele flicked his ears upward.

"Yes Aleu?" Steele asked. Aleu sat down and sighed softly.

"How should I tell my mama and papa that I'm leaving soon?" Aleu asked. Steele tilted his head to one side with interest.

"You still want to live out here with me?" Steele asked in a soft tone. Aleu nodded firmly.

"Of course I do. I just don't know how to tell them yet," Aleu said. Steele thought for a moment then gently nudged Aleu's shoulder with his nose.

"Would you like me to come with you?" Steele offered. Aleu smiled brightly and nodded again.

"Yes please. That would make it easier for me," Aleu said. Steele smiled softly.

"Alright, we should be going then," Steele said. Aleu got up and began to walk toward town with Steele following closely behind. Once Aleu spotted the ship, she turned to Steele.

"Wait beside the ship. You'll know when I need you," Aleu whispered. Steele nodded and sat down. Just above the pair, Balto grunted lightly in frustration as he peeked into Aleu's room.

"Gone again," Balto said with a sigh. He flicked his ears when he heard Aleu's soft howl. He leapt off the ship and onto the sand then waited for her. Aleu appeared from the side of the ship then sat down.

"Can you get mama?" Aleu asked softly. Balto flicked his ears slightly in confusion at the request then lifted his head and howled. Jenna, not that far away, heard the howl and easily recognized it was Balto. She quickly headed toward the ship. When she arrived, she glanced between Aleu and Balto for a moment before sitting beside Balto. Aleu looked at her mother and father then took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Mama, papa, I have something to tell you… The past three days I have been going out and learning skills I need to survive in the wild. One of which was how to hunt. I have now learned all that I can and I would like to tell you that… I wish to live in the wild now. I know I will never get a human and this is the path I choose," Aleu said. Balto and Jenna looked at each other with uncertainty. Jenna was the first to speak.

"Aleu, who taught you?" Jenna asked. Balto grunted lightly to himself, already having an idea. Rather than immediately replying, Aleu glanced behind her as Steele walked to her side then sat down. Jenna's eyes widened slightly in surprise, but she remained quiet.

"Steele taught me. He has lived out there for quite some time and he taught me well," Aleu said. Balto snorted loudly in annoyance.

"So you've been sneaking out every morning to learn from him. I won't allow you to put your life in danger and live out there with him," Balto said with a grunt. Aleu narrowed her eyes and lowered her ears with irritation.

"My life won't be in danger! I will be staying with Steele. He'll protect me because he cares about me and I care about him. Why can't you understand that?" Aleu asked. Jenna's expression softened and she nudged Balto gently. Balto spared a quick glance at her and calmed down a little. Jenna studied Steele for a moment. She had not seen him since that night she had left the barn to wait for Balto. From the looks of things, he had changed. He did not seem like the arrogant glory hound she knew him to be before.

"Steele, is it true that you care about my daughter?" Jenna asked calmly. Steele met her gaze steadily and nodded firmly.

"Yes Jenna. I do. I know that the Steele you knew before wasn't the best guy in the world, but I have changed. I promise you that," Steele assured. Jenna flicked her tail lightly as she listened to his response, but did not say anything more for the time being. Balto looked steadily at Aleu.

"Aleu, do you really care about him despite his past?" Balto asked. Aleu nodded firmly.

"Yes. He's been nothing but kind to me since the day I met him," Aleu said. Balto flicked his tail once then glanced at Jenna with a nod. Jenna returned the nod and looked back to Aleu.

"If that is the case, you have our permission to leave," Jenna said. Aleu smiled softly walked forward to nuzzle her parents in appreciation.

"Thank you so much. I know this is what I want," Aleu said confidently. Jenna licked Aleu's cheek softly and Balto did the same.

"Make sure you come by and visit us soon though," Balto said. Aleu smiled and nodded.

"I will," Aleu said cheerfully. Balto and Jenna nodded then looked at Steele.

"Take care of her, Steele," Jenna said softly, her eyes meeting Steele's. Though Aleu would not be able to notice, her mother's comment held a soft, unspoken warning. Balto nodded in agreement and gave Steele a similar look to the one Jenna had. Steele dipped his head respectfully.

"I promise both of you, I will," Steele assured. Aleu wagged her tail happily and nuzzled Steele affectionately. The pair then got up and turned to head back. Balto and Jenna watched as Aleu and Steele disappeared from sight. Balto glanced at Jenna.

"Do you think we did the right thing?" Balto asked softly. Jenna smiled warmly and licked Balto's nose affectionately.

"I believe we did. I can tell that Steele's changed for the better, Balto. Aleu will be fine now and she finally has a home as well," Jenna answered. Balto smiled softly and nodded.


	13. Home is Where the Heart is

Aleu giggled and smiled brightly once she and Steele had reached the waterfall.

"It feels so good to finally belong!" Aleu shouted as she ran and leapt into the water. Steele chuckled then ran after her and leapt in as well. The two of them came up to the surface together and their blue eyes met. Aleu smiled softly and swam closer to Steele then gently licked his nose. Steele chuckled lightly and licked Aleu's muzzle affectionately in return.

"I'm glad you're here with me now, Aleu. I really am," Steele said happily. Aleu smiled brightly.

"And I am glad to be here with you as well, Steele," Aleu replied. Steele smiled warmly at her response. The two swam for a while then got out of the water and shook their fur dry. Aleu yawned softly then walked to the cave and lay down. Steele wagged his tail from side to side then followed her inside and lay down as well. He gently licked the top of Aleu's head in between her ears.

"Hey Aleu?" Steele prompted. Steele glanced out of the cave for a moment then back at Aleu.

"Would you like to search for a new home tomorrow?" Steele asked. Aleu smiled softly and nuzzled against Steele's body.

"Home is where the heart is, Steele. So no matter where we are, my home will be with you," Aleu said confidently before she yawned again and rested her head on her paws. Steele smiled softly.

"Same here, Aleu," Steele said softly before he rested his head on his paws and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Steele was the first to rise the next morning. He stretched until his joints popped pleasantly then walked over and got a drink of water. Aleu woke up shortly after and yawned. She smiled and then got up to drink water beside Steele.

"I'm ready to leave when you are, Steele," Aleu said cheerfully. Steele grinned then nodded.

"Alright then. We should get going. The earlier we start, the sooner we'll find a place," Steele said as he began to walk. Aleu nodded and walked at Steele's side. After the pair had travelled for a while, Aleu paused and flicked her ears curiously as she glanced in the direction of the mountains in the distance.

"What about there, Steele?" Aleu asked. Steele followed her gaze then shook his head.

"That's where my old pack lives. You can even smell their scent markers… Wait a minute. That's odd," Steele grunted lightly and sniffed the air. Aleu tilted her head curiously to one side.

"What is it?" Aleu asked. Steele walked over to a nearby tree and sniffed it then took a few long sniffs of the air again.

"One of the territory's borders used to come to about here, but now I can't smell a thing. I think they left," Steele summarized. Aleu flicked her tail and sniffed the air as well.

"Why don't we go check it out?" Aleu asked. Steele flicked his tail then nodded.

"Alright, stick close to me," Steele said as he began to walk toward his old pack's territory. As he did, he remembered his last day with them and the warning he'd gotten. He would certainly have to be on guard in case they were still around. Soon Aleu and Steele came to a clearing. Steele tilted his head and glanced around.

"This is where my old pack used to live. Over where those impressions are in the ground is where we slept. The cave is where our alpha slept," Steele explained. Aleu nodded lightly then walked around and peeked into the cave. She then flicked her tail and walked back to Steele.

"Could we live here?" Aleu asked. Steele thought for a moment then sighed softly.

"This place doesn't have the best of memories, but if you want to rest, we can stay here for a little while," Steele said quietly. Aleu lowered her ears and nuzzled under Steele's chin. She wanted to ask, but based on Steele's tone, she thought better of it. Steele glanced down at Aleu for a moment and could see the unasked question.

"It's a long story, but perhaps I will tell you another time," Steele offered softly. Aleu nodded once then glanced out into the distance.

"That's fine. Let's keep moving," Aleu said with a soft smile. Steele nodded and the pair began to walk again. Eventually, they reached a large lake. Aleu walked over and got a drink before she glanced around.

"This place is lovely," Aleu said with wonder. Steele got a quick drink then looked around as well.

"It certainly is beautiful," Steele said in agreement. Aleu wagged her tail when she spotted a rock formation that created a large cave a short distance from the lake. She walked over then stood at the mouth of it and looked inside.

"Steele, look at this. It's huge in here," Aleu said. Steele smiled then walked over and looked inside as well.

"Wow. You're right. You could fit a whole family in there," Steele said with a chuckle. Aleu giggled softly but glanced downward for a moment as she felt her cheeks warm with a blush. The mention of a family stirred up thoughts of what could be someday.

"I guess you could, couldn't you?" Aleu responded quietly. Steele flicked his ears at Aleu's softer tone and looked back at her. He raised a brow when caught sight of what appeared to be a very faint line of pink beneath the white fur along Aleu's cheeks. He felt warmth rush to his cheeks as he blushed softly beneath his fur as well.

"Yeah, I guess so. So… why don't we get some sleep? The sun's setting and it looks like we have a home now," Steele said. Aleu looked up again, a faint blush still across her cheeks, and nodded in agreement.

"Sure," Aleu said softly before she went into the cave and lay down. Steele walked inside and lay down right beside her. Aleu lifted her head and licked Steele's cheek affectionately. Steele wagged his tail slightly and returned the gesture. Soon, both were asleep.


	14. Love and Desire

Steele was once again the first to rise the next morning. He glanced over at Aleu then smiled softly. Suddenly, something about Aleu caught his attention. He leaned closer to Aleu and inhaled deeply. Her scent was completely different that it had been before and after getting a better sniff, he knew why. He knew that scent and what it meant. He'd smelled it before when he was used as a breeding stud. Aleu was going into heat. This situation was completely different from other times though. Literally, it had been just business for his owner and himself, but he cared about Aleu and did not want to end up forcing himself on her because of how tempting she smelled. Steel grunted lightly in frustration and stood up then went to get a drink to clear his head. Aleu was up soon and spotted Steele getting a drink. She smiled softly then got up and began to get a drink beside him. Steele grunted and took shallow breaths in an attempt to not be taken in by Aleu's scent. Aleu flicked her ears curiously then glanced at Steele.

"Are you alright?" Aleu asked. Steele chuckled nervously and lifted his head to try and get her scent out of his nostrils.

"Yes, fine," Steele said lowly. Aleu grunted in irritation.

"Yeah right, Steele. Something's bothering you and I know it," Aleu said firmly. Steele sighed softly. There wasn't much point in trying to avoid the subject.

"Alright… It's just that… your smell is very… tempting. I'm trying to control myself, but it's difficult," Steele said in almost a whisper. Aleu blinked with confusion for a moment, but then it hit her. She knew that she felt different and that there was something that told her to act on how she felt. Her mother had explained it to her, but this was her first heat and she hadn't thought she'd be with a male, let alone one she cared about. Suddenly guilt washed over her. No wonder he'd been acting strange. She glanced down shyly and curled her tail up between her legs before she sat down.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Aleu said with her ears lowered. Steele sighed softly and regained his composure enough to sit beside her and rest his head on top of hers.

"No need to apologize. It's natural, Aleu," Steele quietly assured. Aleu nuzzled gently against his chest and sighed gently.

"I know but I've never… been through this before," Aleu whispered as she shuffled her front paws slightly. Steele gently pressed his nose between Aleu's ears to comfort her.

"We don't have to do anything you know. I'm controlling myself because I don't want to force you to do something you don't want to do," Steele explained before he stood up and took a few steps away from Aleu and sat down again. Aleu whimpered softly at his absence at her side and finally looked up at him. She smiled softly and stood up then slowly lifted her tail. She immediately noticed Steele's body stiffen slightly as her scent was back in the air but that didn't stop her as she began to confidently walk over to him.

"You don't have to control yourself, Steele," Aleu said softly as little smirk began to creep across her features. Aside from her sudden surge of confidence, her tone had also gotten huskier and more tempting. Steele couldn't help but inhale Aleu's scent considering she now stood right in front of him. He grunted and shook his head.

"Aleu, that's the hormones talking. I don't want you to do anything you don't want to do," Steele said as he glanced at the ground in an effort to not look at Aleu. Aleu giggled softly and stepped forward, closing the small gap between them, then licked underneath Steele's chin.

"Don't be silly, Steele. I do want this and I want you," Aleu said softly. Steele's ears perked up and he looked at Aleu with a raised brow. Hearing her actually say that she wanted him gave him a rush of hope that he wasn't expecting.

"You mean that, Aleu? You really want me?" Steele questioned. Aleu nodded firmly.

"Of course I mean it, Steele. I haven't felt like this about a guy before and frankly, I really care about you. If you'd take me, I'd like to be… your mate," Aleu said the last couple words a little softer. Steele smiled warmly, his happiness temporarily replacing the temptation, and licked the top of Aleu's head affectionately.

"I would be honored to have you as my mate, Aleu as long as it's your choice," Steele said gently. Aleu smiled happily and wagged her tail.

"Steele… I love you," Aleu whispered. Steele smiled happily and wagged his tail as well. Even though they hadn't known each other long, he knew it was the truth and had wanted to hear it for a while. He knew that he felt the same.

"I love you too, Aleu," Steele said softly. Aleu yipped happily and then let her eyes meet Steele's. Both of their eyes equally reflected their desire for one another. That night the two of them connected both physically and emotionally. Their first time together was a surreal rush of passion that neither of them would ever forget.


	15. New Arrivals

Two months had passed since Aleu and Steele began life in their new home. Since Aleu had found out she was expecting pups, Steele had insisted she take it easy and let him take care of her while she rested and prepared. Steele had managed the hunting himself and with spring nearing, there was enough prey for them to keep fed. Steele had just returned from a hunt with large hare for Aleu. He began to slow when he got closer to the cave. Today, something was different. Aleu usually came out to greet him, but she wasn't waiting today. He placed the hare down then scented the air curiously. All he could smell at first was Aleu's scent, but then he picked up four new scents. He smiled softly and walked over to the entrance of the cave.

"Aleu? Did the pups arrive?" Steele asked quietly into the darkness. From the back of the cave, Aleu's sleepy voice was barely audible.

"Yes Steele. They are beautiful. Come in and see them," Aleu said softly. Steele walked to the back of the cave and saw Aleu lying down. At her stomach four small pups were resting. One pup had Aleu's facial markings, but Steele's fur colors. Another was the opposite and had Steele's facial markings, including a thin line black fur around the eyes, but the main fur color was light brown just like Aleu's. Another had fur that was a dark brown color, almost like chocolate, that looked like a combination of Aleu's and Steele's fur colors with Steele's facial markings and the same line of black fur around the eyes as the other pup, but a bit more bold. The last pup stood out a bit from the group. Though it had Aleu's markings, its fur was a light red, vermilion color, almost like a cross between Aleu's light brown fur and Jenna's dark red fur. Pride surged through Steele as he looked at each pup.

"What are their genders? What order were they born in?" Steele asked eagerly. Aleu gently pressed her nose against one pup after another as she answered.

"The black one is a male, he was born first. The light brown one is a female. She was born second born. The dark brown one is another male. He was born third. And this small light red one is another female. She was born last," Aleu said with a soft smile. Steele nodded and turned his attention to the pups again and sighed happily.

"You're right, Aleu. They are beautiful," Steele said in agreement. Aleu nodded and her expression brightened a bit.

"I have some names in mind for them. Would you like to hear them?" Aleu asked excitedly. Steele chuckled softly and sat down then looked at the pups once more before he looked back at Aleu with a nod. Aleu giggled happily.

"For the two females, I was thinking of Heather for the light red one and Freya for the light brown one. As far as the males go, I was thinking of Teagan for the dark brown one and Coal for the black one," Aleu said as she cast a loving look at the pups. Steele smiled brightly.

"Those names are wonderful and definitely seem to suit them," Steele said with a warm smile. Aleu wagged her tail happily.

"I'm glad you like them. Oh and Steele, I have something to ask," Aleu prompted. Steele flicked his ears curiously and tilted his head slightly as he looked at Aleu.

"Yes?" Steele asked. Aleu glanced at the pups for a moment as they woke up and began to nurse before she looked back up at Steele.

"After they open their eyes and can walk well on their own, would it be alright if we took them to visit my parents?" Aleu asked gently. Steele smiled softly and nodded.

"That's fine by me, Aleu," Steele said reassuringly. Aleu wagged her tail happily and licked Steele's cheek. Steele happily returned the gesture then turned his attention toward the entrance of the cave.

"I can bring in the food for you. I caught a hare for you," Steele said. Aleu licked her licks hungrily and nodded.

"That sounds wonderful," Aleu said. Steele nodded then went out and brought the hare inside then placed it in front of Aleu. As Aleu began to eat, Steele sat down and watched over his new family with wave after wave of happiness and pride rushing over him. Once Aleu was finished, Steele took the remains out and away from the cave before he buried them and returned again. By the time he got back, Aleu and the pups were asleep. He smiled softly and lay down beside Aleu and soon he too was asleep.


	16. Family Visit

The sun was just barely rising and there was already movement inside of the cave where Aleu, Steele and their pups lived. Teagan opened his eyes then flicked his tail slightly as he glanced around at the rest of his family. His bright blues eyes, identical to those of his father, carefully scanned the sleeping faces of each of his family members and then he smiled.

"Good, they're asleep," Teagan said quietly to himself before he leapt over his younger sister, Heather. He grinned then began to walk to the mouth of the cave. Before he got there, he felt something pounce on him. He yipped in surprise and struggled to see what had him pinned down. As he glanced up, he was met with darker blue eyes, identical in color to his mother's, but belonging to his older brother, Coal. Coal smirked down at his younger brother.

"Well good morning, Teagan. Where are you going?" Coal asked with false innocence. Teagan growled softly.

"Apparently nowhere now since you've got me pinned down. Just get off me, Coal. You're heavy," Teagan said irritably. Coal chuckled.

"I don't have to listen to you, Teagan. I'm the oldest," Coal teased. Teagan struggled and growled louder in frustration.

"I don't care! Get off of me," Teagan snapped in annoyance. Coal chuckled again and rather than getting off, he plopped down all his weight on Teagan. Teagan groaned loudly in discomfort. Freya and Heather lifted their heads then stood up and walked over to their brothers. Heather, the smallest and youngest of the pups, remained quiet, but Freya decided to speak out.

"Hey Coal, get off of him would you?" Freya asked impatiently. Coal glanced up and his eyes defiantly met his sister's light blue ones. They glared at each other for a moment before Coal groaned with disappointment and rolled his eyes.

"Oh fine. You're no fun," Coal complained as he got off of Teagan. Teagan grunted and shook off his fur.

"Thanks for getting me covered in dirt, Coal. Now mom's probably going to give me a bath," Teagan groaned. Freya giggled softly.

"I honestly don't see why you make such a fuss about getting cleaned, Teagan. It's not that bad," Freya said. Coal chuckled softly.

"Yeah Teagan, Freya's right. Besides, you have brown fur anyway, so you can hardly see the dirt," Coal said dismissively. Teagan narrowed his eyes then growled playfully.

"Well dirt shows up on your black fur so maybe I should show you how it feels, Coal," Teagan said with a smirk. Freya rolled her eyes and stepped calmly between her brothers before they could continue.

"Would you guys cool it? Don't you remember what mom said yesterday? We're supposed to meet our grandparents today," Freya reminded. Before anyone else could respond, Aleu walked over and sat beside Heather.

"That's right Freya," Aleu agreed softly. Freya giggled softly and ran over to her mother's side before she sat down once again. Coal and Teagan followed after then sat down in front of their mother. Surprisingly, Heather was the first to speak up.

"Mom, what do our grandma and grandpa look like?" Heather asked in her characteristic soft tone. Aleu smiled brightly.

"Well your grandpa, Balto, looks a bit like me, but more like Teagan's color. Your grandma, Jenna looks a bit like you, Heather. Her fur is a darker red though," Aleu explained. All four of the pups smiled happily. Coal glanced at the mouth of the cave.

"So, when do we leave then?" Coal asked eagerly. Aleu giggled softly.

"We can leave once your father gets up," Aleu replied. Just as the words escaped her mouth, Steele walked up.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Steele asked with a warm smile. The four pups nodded eagerly and Aleu smiled brightly.

"Let's be on our way then," Aleu said. The family soon set off on their way towards town. By the time they were in sight of the old ship, the sun was nearly setting. The journey usually didn't take too long for just Aleu and Steele, but with the pups, they had to adjust their pace and stop for breaks every so often. Aleu and Steele stopped the family by the beach that was right beside the ship. Aleu howled softly. Just inside the ship, Balto flicked his ears at the familiar howl and leapt down from the side of the ship then walked over to Aleu and Steele.

"Well hello you two. Long time no…" Balto trailed off when he saw the pups looking up at him. He chuckled softly then howled to call Jenna. In town, Jenna was out with Rosie, but when Balto's howl was heard, Rosie understood and let Jenna go. Soon Jenna arrived and sat down beside Balto.

"I've been waiting for you two to finally visit. What took you so…" Jenna trailed off when she the pups looking up at her. She smiled softly. Aleu took a step forward.

"Mama, papa, I'd like you to meet your grandchildren," Aleu announced proudly. Coal walked up first.

"Hello, my name is Coal. I'm the oldest," Coal said with a grin. He went back to his previous spot then Freya walked up.

"My name is Freya," Freya said with a smile. She went back and sat down then Teagan stepped up.

"My name is Teagan," Teagan said with a few wags of tail. His gaze lingered for a moment on Balto and he felt happy that he and his grandfather's fur colors were similar like his mother had mentioned earlier. He went back and finally Heather shyly walked up.

"And my name is Heather," Heather said before she turned and quickly went back between her parents. She spared one more glance at Jenna and smiled softly as she looked at her grandmother's red fur. Though her own fur stood out from her close family, it was comforting to know she and her grandmother had something in common. Balto and Jenna smiled happily and wagged their tails.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm your grandma, Jenna, and this is your grandpa, Balto," Jenna said. Balto dipped his head slightly as Jenna said his name

"Now that you guys are here, feel free to make yourselves at home," Balto said warmly. Jenna nodded in agreement then looked up at the sky.

"That and it's getting dark, so if your parents say it's ok, you could stay the night," Jenna with a glance at Aleu and Steele. Steele chuckled softly.

"Thank you for the offer, Jenna. That sounds like a good idea. I wouldn't want anyone to get lost in the dark on the way home," Steele said with a sweeping glace over the pups. Aleu giggled softly and nodded in agreement. The pups soon got more acquainted with their grandparents and then transitioned to playing games. By the time it was completely dark, all four of them were exhausted and fast asleep. Jenna flicked up her ears and listened intently as she noticed the town quieting.

"I'll need to be getting home. Where are Aleu, Steele and the pups going to sleep?" Jenna asked Balto. Balto flicked his ears then glanced at the ship.

They can stay up in the ship. We can all carry one pup each up there," Balto replied. Aleu, Jenna and Steele nodded in agreement. Aleu picked up Freya, Balto picked up Teagan, Jenna picked up Heather and Steele picked up Coal. The four then climbed the walkway on the side of the ship then placed the pups in Aleu's old room.

"Now that you guys are settled, I'd best be going," Jenna said soft smile at the group. Everyone nodded once as she headed back to town. Balto yawned softly.

"I must be getting older because I'm beat. I'm sure you guys will need sleep too since you'll have a long walk back with all these pups," Balto said with a chuckle. Aleu and Steele nodded then Balto headed to bed. Aleu and Steele lay down with their pups and soon they were both asleep.


	17. Home Again

The sun was just barely up and there was movement within Aleu and Steele's temporary room. Steele rose quietly, stretched his limbs then gently nudged Aleu.

"Time to wake up. We need to get going soon," Steele said gently. Aleu flicked her ears slightly then lifted her head and yawned softly before she stood up and stretched. She nuzzled Steele softly then gently nudged her pups one by one. The four pups were soon awake and stretched as well.

"Why do we have to leave so early, mom?" Teagan groaned lightly. Aleu giggled softly and gently flicked a tuft of fur that was sticking up on his head.

"Because we still have to walk all the way home," Aleu replied. Coal walked over and grinned at his younger brother.

"Don't worry Teagan, if you get tired I can carry you home," Coal said as he puffed out his chest. Teagan rolled his eyes then nipped softly on his brother's ear.

"No way! I can make the whole walk home just fine!" Teagan retorted with a playful growl. Coal chuckled and pushed his brother with paw.

"Yeah, sure," Coal said. Aleu smiled softly.

"Settle down boys. You'll need your energy for the trip home," Aleu said softly. Steele walked to her side and nodded in agreement.

"Your mother is right, boys," Steele agreed. Coal and Teagan nodded once. Freya and Heather walked over to the rest of their family members and sat down.

"Can we say goodbye to grandma and grandpa?" Freya asked. Aleu nodded with a warm smile.

"If course. Let's all head over," Aleu said before she headed to her father's room. Balto had just woken up and when he spotted his daughter and her family he smiled brightly.

"Heading off?" Balto asked. Aleu and Steele nodded simultaneously. Balto nodded once in acknowledgement.

"Alright. Let me call Jenna," Balto said before he walked outside of his room and stood at the edge of the ship then howled. Jenna soon arrived at the ship and the family said their goodbyes. Steele glanced at the sky then back at everyone else.

"Ok, time to head out," Steele said. Aleu and the pups nodded and the family was soon on their way home.

* * *

By the time the family got home, it was afternoon. The pups got drinks of water then ran into the cave and were soon asleep. Steele chuckled softly as he watched his children for a while then he sat down beside Aleu at the side of the lake.

"They're good pups, Aleu," Steele reflected with a smile. Aleu nuzzled Steele affectionately in agreement then licked his cheek softly.

"Yes they are. They'll grow up to be fine adults one day," Aleu said. Steele nodded in agreement.

"Hey Aleu?" Steele prompted casually. Aleu raised a brow curiously.

"Yes?" Aleu inquired with a flick of her ears. Steele grinned widely.

"I love you," Steele said softly before he licked Aleu's muzzle gently. Aleu giggled happily and licked Steele's cheek in return.

"I love you too," Aleu echoed back. The two sat together and watched the sunset together before they headed back into the cave with their pups to settle down for the night.


End file.
